The invention relates to a device used for heating up or toasting a food item, in particular, a flat bread, such as, but not limited to a tortilla, pita, naan, or other flatbreads, including crackers and rice cakes. These food items are more desirable when browned, but are notoriously difficult to toast in a conventional toaster device, due to their predominantly elliptical shape and thin profile that is predisposed to drying or burning, and also due to the shortcomings of existing devices.
The present invention requires a steady source of heat, such as a stove top or a barbeque grill top. The hot air from a stove top warms the bottom surface and an air space, which separates the bottom wall from the grill top. The air gap serves as an efficient conductor of heat, while preventing a food item from getting burned. A plurality of openings in the bottom wall further facilitates the flow of thermal energy, thus quickening the toasting process.
The design of the present invention is simple and inexpensive to manufacture, translating into an affordable and desirable consumer product. Furthermore, the preferred embodiment of the present invention utilizes a range top, a grill top or any other heat source to enable toasting of a food item. In contrast the prior art devices frequently require an electrical outlet or are designed for use with a specific heat source.
Although grilling, barbequing and toasting devices are generally well known, they all contain a number of shortcomings that the present invention aims to redress. The existing toaster devices are focused on bread slices, and many of the devices that were actually invented with flatbreads in mind require difficult setups, are designed for conveyer production and are unsuitable for home use, or require other cooking utensils or devices to operate.